The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a notice extending the comment period for a proposed rule that would amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) in 15 CFR Parts 740, 742, 748, 754, and 772 to implement a revised version of its Simplified Network Application Processing (SNAP) system, called SNAP, and to mandate use of SNAP for most filings and related documents.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for dairy products, provided for in HTS Chapter 4, Additional U.S. Note (AUSN) 10, which opened on January 2, 2004, partially oversubscribed at the opening. According to CBP, the All Other Countries limit oversubscribed and the minimum access quantity for Belgium/Denmark (aggregated) was exceeded. However, the minimum access quantity for Australia was not reached and is therefore still available.

The Treasury Department has published its current list of countries that may require participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott. The countries included on this list are:

The International Trade Administration (ITA) frequently issues notices on antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty orders which Broker Power considers to be "minor" in importance as they concern actions that occur after an order is issued and neither announce nor cause any changes to an order's duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective period.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a press release announcing education and enforcement plans for its new trucking hours-of-service rule. According to the press release, starting January 4, 2004, when the rule was implemented, state and federal officials expect to spend the first 60 days waging an aggressive educational campaign and enforcing egregious violations. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/04/03 news, 03120410, for BP reminder on the enforcement of the hours-of-service rule, with links to previous BP summaries.) (FMCSA press release, dated 12/30/03, www.fmcsa.dot.gov/contactus/press/2003/123003.htm.)

(Read Footnotes and Disclaimers at End of Notice)

In December 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would soon issue several additional measures intended to further strengthen protections against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued additional instructions on the Special Bill programming (new non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) and Master vessel operating common carrier (VOCC) bill types) for Sea Automated Manifest System (AMS) which was moved into the production environment (i.e., implemented) during the normally scheduled system outage of 11:00 p.m. EST Saturday, January 10, 2004 to 3:00 a.m. Sunday, January 11, 2004.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the 2004 tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for Cheddar cheese from Canada, provided for in HTS Chapter 4, Additional U.S. Note (AUSN) 18, that opened on January 2, 2004, oversubscribed at opening moment. According to CBP, the pro rata percentage is 74% or .7400. CBP states that entries or withdrawals for consumption of Cheddar cheese from Canada presented after opening should be returned to the broker for correction.

The International Trade Administration (ITA) is amending its antidumping (AD) duty order, as well as its final and amended final affirmative AD duty determinations, on bulk aspirin from China as there is now a final court decision regarding this investigation.